SUPER HEROS DAY AT CAMP

Brian, Colin, Jake and Garrett are getting ready for lineup. Today was a super heros theme at staff training. The staff were running late so they got started with out them.

WEEKLY QUOTE: Every great dream...

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember,
you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach
for the stars to change the world.
- Harriet Tubman

Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

THE PEAS ARE FLOWERING!

That's right the peas in the garden are starting to get peas!

A BIG shout out to

Tyee Middle School's 6th graders

who planted the peas!

The Summer Camp Staff has been enjoying produce from the garden during meals.

We've had greens, radishes, strawberries and fresh herbs.

A BIG Shout out to

Challenger Middle School's 6th graders

who planted some of the greens and radishes we've been enjoying!

A BIG shout out to

St. Brendan's 8th graders

who planted cucumbers and sunflowers!

(we'll put up a picture when they're a little bigger :)

An even BIGGER shout out to all the

SPRING OEE STAFF

who helped shovel manure and plant seeds and pull weeds

so we can all now enjoy fresh produce!

Those of you coming for FALL OEE will get to enjoy

the fruits of our labors!

Staff Spotlight: Paul!

Staff Spotlight: Paul!

Hometown: Seattle -but went to high school in Michigan

School: University of Michigan

Camp History: has been coming to camp FOR 11 YEARS!!! (This will be his second year as staff at Orkila!)

Spirit animal: Katie Swanson

Favorite camp game: sardines

Favorite camp song: bazooka bubble gum

Favorite camp meal: burritos

Loves: his BFF Langston, dressing up like an Oompa Loompa, "The Cupid Shuffle", to play with his food, Dork Dances, The Lorax, dance parties outside Wally Fisher

Did you know? This cat plays the bongo, he took robotics, and had a part time job as a Sherpa?

WEEKLY QUOTE: Creativity is...

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.
- Scott Adams

Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

Staff Spotlight: Marty!

Staff Spotlight: Marty!

Hometown(s): Eugene, Estes Park, Eastsound, Portland, Lander, Seattle... The Pacific NW? (:

School: University of Oregon
Camp History: Life-long YMCA camper & IS GOING INTO HIS THIRD SUMMER AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR!

Spirit Animal: Circus Bear

Favorite camp game: Sailboat Tag
Favorite camp Meal: Orkila Lattes, "just shake and serve"

Loves: dogs, skiing, coffee, his visor, biking, the outdoors, trees, Skagit, cooking, Chaco's

Claims to fame: his sailboat drawing in dirty car windows, his 'Wookie' noise, drinking coffee like water, his 9 o'clock radio checks, "YUP"

Fun & Quirky: His name rhymes with party, so that's fun!

Something Awesome: Once swam with a leopard seal in Antarctica.

Did you know? That Marty once visited campers on 8 islands in 24 hours! He’s also finishing up a Wilderness EMT course, to be more prepared to serve campers in the field!

Quote to live by:

"There is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats!

In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not. Look here! If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, supposing we drop down the river together, and have a long day of it?"

-Rat, Wind in the Willows

TWO ORKILA ALUMS KAYAK THE INSIDE PASSAGE

Tomorrow Mike Mills and Kelly Vogel will begin the journey of a lifetime. They will first take a couple of ferries from Bellingham, WA to Glacier Bay, Alaska - and then begin the 3 month journey - via kayak - back down. Did we mention that they are paddling in kayaks THEY built? Yep. True story. A couple weeks back they were interviewed about the process of building their boats and their upcoming trip. You will find that interview below, along with images. Enjoy... and bon voyage Mike & Kelly!

How long did it take to build your kayaks?

We started at the beginning of November, and it took us about 4 months. And along the way, we planned for, mapped out, and geared up for the trip as well.

After spending that length of time building your kayaks, do you now wish you had both just purchased some boats instead?

Sure, part of us wishes we had just bought two... but now that they're done it's very satisfying. And when we are out there paddling, we hope it will feel very very satisfying!

What is a facet of the trip that you both find to be very exciting?

Well, we've been working hard for the whole year. Building the kayaks, getting everything squared away, portioning out food, route planning, etc. We're both very excited for the actual trip. We hope it will be freeing to finally be out there on the water... just paddling. Out in the wilderness where electronics and society are moot points.

What about the flipside, what challenges lie ahead?

We're hesitant about bears. We're bringing flares and bear spray, and we hope that we won't have any run-ins. Also, general navigating will be a challenging - but we're more excited for that!

Where will you be staying on your trip?

We'll be camping all along the way. Sometimes in national forests, or simply in spots along the shoreline. We have guidebooks and one has GPS coordinates of camping locations. We have planned as much as we can, though we're sure that weather and other circumstances will challenges us to change course along the way. So much of our trip is weather dependent.

How many people a year do this trip - down the Inside Passage?

It's not as commonly traveled as the PCT or Appalachian Trail or anything. But it's definitively known to Kayakers. We researched other people's blogs and communicated with some of them too. It's a pretty big commitment - and we're really excited for the adventure of it all. It's the pinnacle kayaking trip in North America.

The kayak kit's pieces are all laid out, ready to be put together.

Kelly works on the rudder of her boat.

Mike checks the sealing inside the kayak.

Nearing the end of the construction process.

The final boats, ready to be paddled from Alaska to Washington!

Adventure Guides Rock!

Skookum and Rainier Expeditions enjoyed the glorious sunshine on the shores of Camp Orkila this past weekend wrapping up our wonderful Spring season of Adventure Guides! 

Photos from the weekend can be found through camporkila.smugmug.com site (password: snazzler)

The snazzler hunting this season was some of the finest we've seen in decades.  To all you snazzler hunters (and future snazzler hunters of America): keep up the good work. 

Staff Spotlight: Liza

Staff Spotlight: Liza!
Hometown: Redmond, WA
School: Santa Clara University

Camp history: 3 summers as a camper (a Horsemaster), 2 summers as a Goode counselor, one summer as Goode Unit Director, couple weeks as a Goode counselor last year, AND NOW AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR!!!

Spirit animal: a Goode Glacier
Favorite camp song: "Have you ever seen a penguin come to tea"
Favorite camp game: holy grail tag
Favorite camp meal: could eat the cookies all day, and also gets very excited when there are beets in the salad bar!

Claims to fame: she can speak Hebrew and Russian, working at the Outdoor Environmental Education program at Camp Seymour, her contagious laugh, getting wet and dirty, being SUPER SWEET, The Invisible Bench Skit, singing "Hey There Delilah"

Loves: eating , travelling, SKIING, farms and gardens, Orcas Island sunsets, Goode Glaciers, going for long runs, Chris Farley, taking naps, festivals, campfires, rescuing bags in the middle of the night from trees after raccoons have gotten a hold of them (:

Did you know? she circumnavigated a Mexican Island by kayak, worked at a forest preschool in Denmark, and knows everything you could possible want to learn about barnacles and reptiles!

WEEKLY QUOTE: You have brains...

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own.
And you know what you know. You are the one who'll decide where to go.
- Dr. Seuss

Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

Get out your calculator!

Here's the breakdown for this week at Camp Orkila. You do the math!
536: number of students that came to Camp Orkila this week for Outdoor Education
226: number of children who did the Chicken Dance
183: number of layouts during the annual Orkila Staff vs. Salmon Bay Ultimate Frisbee game
71: number of rocks turned over during beachwalks
68: number of kids who rode the new 1000-foot zipline
1: number of river otters seen in the talons of a bald eagle

Staff Spotlight: Jordan!

Staff Spotlight: JORDAN!

Hometown: Lake Forest Park
School: Western WA University

Current Residence: Osprey Deederer

Favorite Color(s): Earth Tones, specifically dark blues, browns and greens

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: Honey Nut Cheerios -but when his potatoes aren't done properly, he really enjoys a bowl of Rice Crispies at camp

Spirit mode of transportation: Bicycle or Myrtle (the Camp Bus)

Earliest Memory: Watching Darth Vader descend the steps in the carbon freezing chamber in Cloud City on the planet Bespin (from The Empire Strikes Back)

Camp History: this will be his 12 summer! AND taught in Orkila's Outdoor Environmental Education program in the fall and this spring!

Areas of Expertise: Dragons, state collapse and reconstruction, story telling, photography

LOVES: beards, Settlers of Catan, bicycles, coffee, Lady Gaga, Chacos, cycling, Dr. Bronner's, ninjas, glitter, "bicycle" by Queen, camping, camp, Orkila, Orcas Island, biking hats (you know, the ones with the little bills), snapping his fingers, expressing himself, Patagonia down jackets (but not for their water resistance), kayaking

Did you know? That when Jordan was a CIT, he protested to take the jiggle out of Jell-o

Program Spotlight: Teen Expedition Sailing

Grab the tiller, harness the wind, explore the San Juans and build new friendships on our one and two week sailing expeditions.

San Juan Sailing: Co-ed, entering grades 8 - 10 in the fall of 2011.

A wonderful introduction to sailing! Learn to read the wind, practice tacking and jibing and sail from island to island. Stay the first night at camp before traveling to Satellite Island to begin your six day sailing trip around the San Juan Islands.

Mariners Sailing: Co-ed, entering grades 9 - 12 in the fall of 2011.

In this two week program, campers learn sailing and leadership skills, such as boat handling, navigation and basic sailboat maintenance. The group enjoys a ten-day trip in the San Juan Islands.

Prepping for Camp in an Urban Setting: Packing Essentials, Activities

Preface: Orkila is a camp. Wearing costumes everywhere is quite average. Sporting glitter and sequins is much supported. Skits are an everyday occurrence. Getting dirty happens, and with much frequency. Again, Orkila is a camp.

With this being said, there are several key events at Orkila that may make a difference in your packing methods.

The first being our weekly ‘Dork Dances’. Attire for this occasion can be classified as ‘goofy’ or possibly even ‘crazy’ by some, and bright &/or outlandish costumes are highly encouraged.

Need examples? ...Thought you may ask (:














We also have ‘Formal Dinners’ every Friday evening to appreciate our past week’s adventures, new friendships and memories. On this occasion we invite everyone to ‘dress up’ if they wish. This can be in a pretty floral print (as beautifully modeled above) to a button-up and tie if you so desire, but we also welcome typical ‘campy’ type clothes, as there are no requirements for dress (except for the overall Orkila dress code rules for appropriate attire).

Have you heard of ‘Get Wet, Get Dirty’? Well, basically it is what it states: an activity where we run into the sound (or get sprayed down by the hose) and then proceed to jump in mud pits and roll around in dirt laughing, playing, chanting and enjoying the freedom of filth! Bringing something you would love to give some character to would be recommended as only wearing swimsuits is not allowed (and they would be ruined anyway) and clean clothes will in fact, get wet and dirty.

Extra notes: We also have tie dying (so something cotton and pre-washed) and many of our activities (high/low ropes, zip line, giant swing, archery/riflery, horseback riding, rock climbing) require long pants and/or close toed shoes –so these items are important to pack along!

Staff Spotlight: LD!

SPOTLIGHT: LOREDANA!

Hometown: Brockley, London. (No, not the vegetable!)
Fascinating fact: Mother is from Sicily, father is from Jamaica.

Spirit Animal: Michael Jackson
Camp Experience: 4 summers at camp
Favorite Camp Meal: Chicken Patties
Favorite Camp Activity: Giant Swing

LOVES: everything 90s (clothes, music & tv), singing, 800m race, entertaining, making people laugh, mimicking accents, CAMP, sunsets, alumni campfire, travelling (has visited 10 out of 50 states -It's her life-long ambition to put her foot in each state!), playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and aeroplanes! (and it’s a good thing –or else we couldn’t continuously be graced by her presence every summer!)

Claims to fame: singing & her BEAUTIFUL voice, ALWAYS requesting MJ at Dork Dances, being a regular at Orkila open-mic night, Performing skits, her sweet English accent, Dork Dances (ESPECIALLY when MJ and/or 90's-era pop comes on!), leading "Boom Chicka Boom" at line-ups "valley girl style" and introducing the "British style" ("I said a sip a cup of tea")

Why we’re star struck: 1. She’s incredible 2. She once sang with Leona Lewis at a singing competition 3. Sang "Part of your World" from the Little Mermaid for the Mayor of London and his guests 4. Auditioned for X Factor UK and will be on TV in September singing a Gretchen Wilson song

Did you know? She is a Disney Fanatic: All her pets are named after Disney characters - Disney, Bambi, Pongo & Meeko; the Lion King is her favorite film ever, & she can word-for-word lip-sync the whole movie

WEEKLY QUOTE: We should never...

We should never forget this fundamental truth: one positive experience
helping other people can be the beginning of a lifetime of commitment
for a young person. We can be the ones who make this happen.
- Michael Brandwein

Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

Into the Wild Blue Yonder

Does a spring weekend get any better than this? Full sun all weekend, blue skies and quite the excitement all over camp especially at the giant swing (see picture over there). Issaquah, Talk-a-Lot, and Rainier Expeditions filled camp along with Issaquah Valley Elementary and an open house for Summer Camp!

It was quite a weekend and if you are looking for more pictures go to http://camporkila.smugmug.com email your Adventure Guide Coordinator for the password.

Thanks for a WONDERFUL weekend!

Program Spotlight: Horsemasters

Co-ed, entering grades 6 - 9 in the fall of 2011.

Horsemasters focuses on individualized riding plans and has group lessons tailored to the skill level of each camper. In the Horsemaster unit, campers meet and get to know one specific horse that they ride and care for throughout the session. Campers still have the opportunity to participate in traditional camp related activities, such as swimming in the pool and attending campfires. The number of participants in each session is limited to strengthen the level of interactive instruction.

Camp Orkila vs Doe Bay Resort Softball

Last week the Camp Orkila staff was challenged t a game of softball by the staff of the Doe Bay Resort. Here's the victorious Orkila Team photo!